STFU Michele Bachmann: You Aren't a Doctor

Michele Bachmann makes a fool out of herself in not one, but two nationally televised blunders.

Michele's at it again! Whereas before she was only sharing her outdated and antiquated views on women being submissive in their marriages, now she's on a quest to make sure every person in America has the wronginformation about two huge medical issues pertinent to women.

Michele, Republican Congresswoman from Minnesota, made an ass of herself on national television after the CNN Tea Party/Republican debate held on Tuesday night. During the debate, Michele attacked Texas Governor Rick Perry for signing an executive order that would require all young women in Texas to receive the HPV vaccine, which protects women from cervical cancer by immunizing them from multiple strains of the human papillomavirus.

Perry admitted that the order had been a "mistake." Not only do most parents in America want to be allowed the choice to vaccinate their daughters, but Perry was also accused of accepting monetary donations (in the amount of $5,000) from the vaccine's manufactuer, the pharmacuetical powerhouse Merck.

The next morning, Michele appeared on The Today Show to defend her stance that government-mandated vaccines are dangerous. She said, "I had a mother last night come up to me here in Tampa, Florida, after the debate. She told me that her little daughter took that vaccine, that injection, and she suffered from mental retardation thereafter."

WTF, Michele?! I could have almost got behind you on this - I get that government-mandated vaccines are extreme, and that Perry shouldn't have been accepting monetary donations from Merck - but you just blew it big time.

Let's be clear - mental retardation is not on the list of adverse reactions caused by the HPV vaccine. Lists maintained by the Institutes of Medicine, the CDC and the FDA do not include mental retardation as a possible consequence of receiving this vaccine. The CDC even goes as far to say that this vaccine has even less adverse side affects than most vaccines.

Congratulations, Michele. With one ignorant comment, made from one anecdotal story, you've scared thousands of people (who are just naive enough to believe you) into refusing a vaccine that saves women from a REAL medical problem - cancer.

But alas, Michele Bachmann, quack M.D., has more to get wrong! In the same debate, Michele said, "President Obama in a stunning, shocking level of power now just recently told all private insurance companies, you must offer the morning-after abortion pill because I said so. And it must be free of charge."

The "morning-after abortion pill"? Yeah, that doesn't exist. Once again, Michele propogates false information and likely creates controversy where there is none.

There is a morning-after pill. It's commonly reffered to as "emergency contraception," and it's meant to be taken up to five days after your normal birth control fails, in order to prevent pregnancy. Read: PREVENT. The morning-after pill does not terminate an existing pregnancy. It prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg, so that you cannot get pregnant in the first place. It's not meant to be taken every day, in the place of normal birth control.

And, there is an abortion pill. Known as RU-486, it's an alternative to surgical abortion. It is legal, can only be prescribed by a doctor, and can be taken in one's own home instead of in a medical clinic. You can read more about it on Planned Parenthood's information page.

Michele, you aren't a damn doctor! You're a politician. You have no right to go around propogating false information, generating fear, confusion and suspicion, and making an ass out of yourself in particular and womankind in general. As a public figure, you should know better. You should do your research, and make sure you know your facts before you open your mouth. Thankfully, there are women in America smart enough to not take you seriously.

Rachel East is a freelance writer specializing in relationships and relationship advice. In addition to her regular column on TMR, Rachel contributes relationship content to the Levo League, formerly known as Pretty Young Professional, a website for young, professional and ambitious women. Her writing…